Fee Structure: $70.00 for the first team; $50.00 for each additional team.

Discounts:$10 for each working buzzer system; $15.00 for each moderator; $20 for travel of more than 150 miles. Minimum payment per team: $35.00.

Tournament Format: We are targeting 24 teams, or 30 if we can reach this multiple of 6, otherwise we will cap it at 24 . We will have round robin preliminaries, then re-bracket and have another round-robin for all teams in the afternoon. We hope to have a minimum of 9-10 games per team.

Registration:You can register right here, or you can email me at edwardpowers948@msn.com. Just place "GSAC" in the subject line. On the day of the tournament, we will run registration from 7:45-8:45 AM and start Round 1 by 9 AM. During registration we will have a light breakfast of bagels and juice, etc., while we finalize brackets. Also, we have ample parking in the back of our school if this is a concern, and you can park behind our main building and enter the school via the cafeteria in the back, which you cannot miss. Payment is expected in cash or by check the morning of registration, but if you wish to mail it sooner, you can make your check payable to Saint Joseph High School and send it to : Ed Powers, Saint Joseph HS, 145 Plainfield Avenue, Metuchen, NJ 08840. You can also place this address in your GPS device or your Mapquest program and find us easily.

I have just edited the header for GSAC XIX to accurately indicate that it will occur in 2012 and NOT in 2011, as previously posted. This error was kindly pointed out by one of our Left Coast friends, Tanay of Bellarmine & Berkeley fame.

Bumped for two reasons. First, to remind everyone that the opportunity to play on this excellent set is now only 3 weeks away, so, come join the fun! Second, to request 3 of the 4 schools that have registered to provide actual specifics with regard to buzzer systems & moderators. SJHS has 3 working buzzer systems, which would not be enough if this field grows to the 24 teams we hope and expect it to, so aid here would be wonderful, and experienced moderators are also a great boon. So, any specifics on these items would be great, and if you already know the final team count, that would help as well.

I was recently informed that this tournament has been Platinum Certified by PACE, so the Top 25 % in the field can register for the 2012 NSC, or, at least for its waiting list. And there is still room in our field, so come join us and possibly qualify for a great national tournament.

This is now only one week away and we still have room for two teams before we cap the field. Anyone interested in a chance to hear a great set, play some top-notch competition and have a chance to qualify for a great national tournament? There were 102 teams at HHH West last week---surely we can attract 24 to play this excellent set, can we not? Don't be shy!

Edward Powers wrote:This is now only one week away and we still have room for two teams before we cap the field. Anyone interested in a chance to hear a great set, play some top-notch competition and have a chance to qualify for a great national tournament? There were 102 teams at HHH West last week---surely we can attract 24 to play this excellent set, can we not? Don't be shy!

If there's spots open, then Bergen might switch to three teams. I think we're up to 12 students with my latest sign-up, but I'll have to check my list when I'm at school tomorrow.

As many of you may have heard, there is a light snow in the forecast for Saturday morning until around noon-time Saturday, after which it will supposedly turn to rain. Since accumulations are expected to be less than an inch, this forecast does not seem to threaten the tournament at all, so for now the tournament is still on and registration will still be from 7:45-8:45 on Saturday morning. Given the light snow, however, you might want to give yourselves a little extra time to get here. Of course if conditions change drastically, then it might be necessary to modify things, but for now everything remains as originally planned. If you wish to contact me privately about this or leave me a cell phone number, or get my number, just email me at edwardpowers948@msn.com and we can swap cell numbers.

I've checked the National Weather Service, Accu Weather and the Weather Channel, and the previous forecast of 1 inch of snow has been variously upgraded from 1-2 inches of snow to as high as 3-6 inches. Naturally I will keep my eye on this. I am of course, loathe to cancel unless compelled to do so, for there is no easy date to reshedule, and before rescheduling I would naturally need my school's permission as well. Conversely, I would never want to jeopardize teams traveling to and from SJHS, so if it seems I need to cancel, I will. I would appreciate feedback from teams that are registered concerning what level of snow would be OK and what would seem to be too severe to risk, for this coud help me as I examine the various forecasts. Thanks in advance for any help you can give in this way.

I will be in contact with my principal tomorrow morning for an assessment. I can't give an exact number of inches, but I'd say that if there's an inch or more on the ground and icy conditions I know I'd be hesitant to make the trip - especially if the snow/freezing rain is continuing to fall. From the looks of the map, Chatham will have it worse than the rest of the field except maybe Wissahickon, so if we can't make it and you decide to run the tournament without us I won't be upset. (The "good" news is that if we do cancel, you'll still have an even number of teams!)

Have you considered a quick reschedule for next Saturday 1/28? It is a testing date, but not a very big one for us.

We would really prefer not to cancel unless conditions are absolutely unsafe, since 1/28 is an SAT date (and despite the fact that I'm a senior, I'm scheduled to take one). 1-2 inches (i.e. easily driveable conditions) should be fine.

Thanks, Mr. Powers.

Grace LiuMIT (no graduation because hahaha what a joke)Yale University '16High Technology High School '12

As we (SHP) will not be running a bus tomorrow, I am at the mercy of the parents. I will be waiting until the evening weather updates to speak with the students/parents about tomrrow. I will e-mail/call you later this evening. As of right now, we are still coming with 2/4/1.

Ed, can you send all coaches your cell so we can stay in touch regarding the weather?

David MaddenRidgewood (NJ) '99, Princeton '03Founder and Director: International History Bee and Bowl, National History Bee and Bowl (High School Division), International History Olympiad, United States Geography Olympiad, US History Bee, US Academic Bee and Bowl, National Humanities Bee, National Science Bee, International Academic Bowl.Adviser and former head coach for Team USA at the International Geography Olympiad

I will certainly send my cell # to all coaches whose email address I have if they request it.

In the meantime, the tournament is still on. I have already been sending emails to specific teams about this. So far only Bergen Academies has officially withdrawn, although several others have naturally expressed concerns which I certainly understand. On the other hand I do not wish to be hasty either, since my kids put much work into this AND a postponement could also become a cancellation given how crowded the rest of the schedule is for 2012.

So, here is my proposal for now. I wait until 9 pm. If things still look good, the tournament remains on, and, unless and until things turn worse, it stays on. Of course, if it does turn worse, then I postpone and hope to be able to reschedule for some time in the near future if possible.

Of course, you must also make decisions based on your own locale and the best interests of your kids. I know you will come if mother nature allows, and you will cancel if you think that step is most prudent. If you decide that you cannot come, please post it here or email me.

In the meantime, all fingers and toes crossed, please!

Thanks.

EDIT: Glen Rock has just withdrawn (circa 4:15 PM) its 3 teams due to weather concerns. So, the field currently stands at 18 teams.

It is 9 PM and as far as I can determine from the various national, state and local weather services, this is roughly what we can expect in this area: Snow will not begin in this area until about 1-2 AM. By registration time Saturday morning there could be 1-3 inches accumulated, and by noon, an additional 1-2 inches. So, by noon there could be as little as 2 inches or as much as 5. If it is the former, we probably could run the tournament. If the latter, it surely would not be wise.

So, let me know what you think of the following proposal: I wait until 5 AM to get a better sense of what is happening, or I err on the side of caution and cancel the tournament now. If we wait, we could push registration back an hour to give more time for an AM cancelation if needed, or an AM arrival which is eminently possible given the info we have by 5 am or so. At 5 AM I will post here, and with registration pushed back until 8:45-9:45, we will still have time in the AM to make a judicious decision and arrive here if that is what is agreed upon at that time.

So, what thoughts? Should we be patient and still try to salvage the tournament if possible, waiting for 5AM info then starting an hour later if we have good news by 5 am, or should we act now and cancel?

As someone who's directed two tournaments affected by freak snowstorms: Please don't cancel the tournament this early, before the snow's even started. Pushing registration back to allow teams a less hurried drive is definitely a good idea. Even if some teams will have to stay home due to the snow, many others will be able to make it and would probably prefer having quiz bowl to not having quiz bowl.

I know that High Tech would really love to go to your tournament tomorrow, and would prefer not to see the tournament cancelled. Our parent drivers are agreeable to driving tomorrow, barring unexpectedly unsafe driving conditions. Delaying the tournament may also allow more time for snow plows and such to clear the roads, and though I don't know about any other towns in the NJ area, my hometown has been preparing extra plows/deicing in preparation for the snowstorm. Our parent drivers are also supportive of a morning delay.

We would prefer to wait until 5 AM and see. However, we understand these conditions may be prohibitive for other teams, especially those travelling further distances. Bring on the quizbowl! (hopefully!)

While I appreciate Lily's plea, I have no desire to repeat our five hour return trip from NYC to North Jersey! If you wish to wait until 5, I understand. We (SHP) are leaning toward "no", but I will wait to hear from you in the morning. Get some rest if you are able!

Wissahickon would prefer not to see the tournament cancelled; we'd really like to play some quizbowl! We are willing to wait for the 5AM assessment of the situation in hopes that it will be delayed an hour and not cancelled. Hoping for the best!

Based upon these responses, I will wait until 5 AM and then post here based upon conditions at 5 AM. And others are encouraged to post here as well in order to provide greater input for the entire field and weather conditions in the various areas from which teams are possibly coming. The more info the better,

Currently, we still have 18 teams registered, and if all or a large majority of you think it is OK to run the tournament once we see how things stand with the weather at 5 AM, I will certainly do so and I will push registration back an hour to give everyone more leisure time to get to SJHS, so registration will start at 8:45 if we do proceed. Alternatively, if conditions seem to warrant it, I will cancel or you should withdraw if you think it would be unsafe to come.

So, tomorrow at 5 AM we should have a better sense of how to proceed. Talk to you then.

I just returned from a drive around my neighborhood. Here in Metuchen we have an accumulation of about 1/3-1/2 of an inch after about 3 hours of snow. At this rate, there will be about an inch by 8 am and if the snow continues for another 6-8 hours, another inch to an inch and a half, for a total of 2-3 inches by 4PM.

It took about 1 minute to dust off my car and travel around. The visibilty was good, but as always the snow cut speed in half.

This is how things are here.

How are things elsewhere? In Philly? NYC? Ridgewood? West Orange? East Brunswick? Near High Tech?

If i were to judge by Metuchen alone, things would still be good. But I need help from others. So, what news from areas teams are coming from?

Near High Tech, the snow seems to have abated, and there's less than a half-inch on the ground. It shouldn't be a problem for us at all. We really would love the opportunity to hear this set, and we would definitely prefer not to see a cancellation.

EDIT: Because we've promised our teammates a decision by 5 AM, should we report a "yes the tournament is on"? Or is the tournament still so tentative that we'd better wait for a final decision? If it's the latter case, when would we have that decision?

Grace LiuMIT (no graduation because hahaha what a joke)Yale University '16High Technology High School '12

If enough teams wish to come and think it safe, I have no problem. Conversely, I do not want any teams to try to come if they think it unsafe, and I leave that to the discretion of teams surveying their local areas, and, naturally, I trust and respect the judgment of each school involved. So far I have no compelling reason given to cancel, but I am still awaiting news from most of the field.

It seems that it is on with this caveat:No one else beside High Tech has responded to my call for info from other areas. As you well know, one part of our region can be hit lightly, while another part can be hit severely. I have not heard any such reports yet from anyone. As to your specific question, one reason I agreed to delay registration by an hour was to give everyone registered some time after 5 AM to find out about conditions here in Metuchen while also surveying their own locales and reporting here on this website for all in the field to see,if possible. So, let's give everyone until 6:15 AM to post here about their situation and intentions. If by then there is no compelling set of reasons to cancel, the tournament is on. If there are such compelling reasons provided by enough of those schools outside of our area, then in the in interest of safety, I will cancel. Finally, since registration has been pushed back to 8:45 -9:45, this should still give teams plenty of time to get here in a leisurely fashion .

EDIT: Seton Hall has responded and it seems its situation might be more difficult. Anyone else in the field care to weigh in?

In our suburb of Philly, there are approximately 2 inches of snow accumulated. Most major roads have been treated by this time but have not been plowed. Under these conditions, Wissahickon is still determined to make it to the tournament.

It is now 6:15 AM. No one has given me a reason to cancel, so: THE TOURNAMENT IS ON. This means at this moment, Hunter will be here with 4 teams, East Brunswick with 2, High Tech with 3, SHP with 2 and Wissahickon and Ridgewood with one each, and SJHS can have anywhere from 1-3 teams depending upon what is needed for even brackets.

Of course this decision does not usurp the sound discretion of any of the above schools mentioned. If in the intervening time between now and registration, which is now beginning at 8:45AM, any school that thinks it more prudent to withdraw, please POST THAT HERE. If this is not done, then I will assume all of the schools identified above will be at SJHS between 8:45 and 9:45/ Of course, if a sufficient number do so post, then i will have to reverse the above decision as a matter of practicality. But CURRENTLY, THE TOURNAMENT IS ON. So, I will see you in about 2-3 hours. Drive safely!

A note to everyone: My adminstration has taken the decsion out of all coaches hands today and has decided to close the school. SO, THE TOURNAMENT IS NOW CANCELLED. PLEASE DO NOT COME---THE SCHOOL WILL BE LOCKED DOWN.

SORRY, BUT I JUST FOUND THIS OUT MOMENTS AGO.

Perhaps we can reschedule sometime in the near future. Is anyone opposed to a Sunday tournament? Let me know.

Well there is one Saturday still open in the next 6 weeks or so, and that is March 10th. So that is one "normal" possibility. It is an SAT day, but by March this might not be a problem. So teams could vote for this option.

If teams are not opposed to Sundays in principle, this opens up many more potential options. Here are a half dozen and more which I assume, for the moment, SJHS might be able to host:

February 5th; February 12th; February 26th; March 4th; March 18th; March 25th, and possibly, April 1st and April 15th.

Of course, before committing to any date above I would need Administrative approval. But assuming for the moment I can get it (Saturday March 10th might be toughest, since I think we actually HOST SAT testing), what dates seem attractive to those who might like to come to a re-scheduled GSAC XIX Mirror at SJHS?

Personally, I would prefer sooner rather than later, but I would need some time to contact alumni who always moderate for me.

So, any preferred dates from those who would still love to play on the GSAC Set in this area?